


Creep Factor

by iaintafraidofnoghostbear, trashcoon (steven_damnkos)



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Developing Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Magical Realism, Necromancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21752368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iaintafraidofnoghostbear/pseuds/iaintafraidofnoghostbear, https://archiveofourown.org/users/steven_damnkos/pseuds/trashcoon
Summary: Other people have always thought Ivan was weird.
Relationships: Nolan Patrick/Ivan Provorov
Comments: 11
Kudos: 91





	Creep Factor

**Author's Note:**

> Please note there is also a mention of temporary, non-graphic animal death.

Other people have always thought that Ivan was weird. Not that too many had ever been brave or cruel enough to say it to his face, but he knows. He’s learned to recognize the look of discomfort, of fear, of wariness. He knows that people are afraid of things like death, and all the things the human mind associates with it. He knows, too, that other kids don’t wake up with spiders weaving webs over their bed or snakes curling around their limbs. 

That happens less now, at least. Unfortunately, their appearance tends to coincide with high emotion, and hockey tends to be an emotional sport. Thankfully, the Flyers are not as phased by Ivan’s . . . abilities as a lot of the kids in school and in juniors were. Claude still sets things on fire, sometimes, and Carter has left more than one visiting goalie stall completely encased in ice, so Ivan’s not the only weirdo in the room. 

It’s still a relief, though, when Nolan gets drafted to Philly. 

Nolan had been one of the first guys to not mind Ivan’s abilities - and his lack of control over them. Ivan always remembers the day Nolan came to his billets’ to hang out for the first time. He’d plopped down on the sofa, gangly limbs sprawling out while Ivan grabbed controllers. Ivan’s heart sank when he’d turned around to find his cat wending itself around Nolan’s ankles. 

“Polina,” he’d scolded softly, setting the controllers on the table and going to pick the cat up. Before he could, she had jumped onto Nolan’s lap and Nolan’s hand immediately landed in her fur. Ivan watched anxiously as Nolan’s brow wrinkled as he gave her a couple of tentative pets, but he didn’t shove her away the way so many others had when they realized what she was.

“Your cat is a zombie.” It had been blunt, said in Nolan’s startlingly low mumble. 

“Reanima.” Ivan’s face went pink when Nolan looked up at him in confusion. “They don’t - I was told the word is ‘reanima’. Like, reanimated.” 

“Huh. Okay.” Nolan petted Polina a little while longer while the game loaded, giving her scritches that got her purring. 

Ivan hadn’t meant to bring her back, having found her sad, cold little body on the road walking home from a friend’s, but he’d put life back in her before he’d realized what he’d done. She’d followed him home and refused to leave; luckily for him, his billet parents were used to the things he could do, and let her stay. He’d named her Polina, and he’d found himself growing very protective of her the more people treated her like something diseased when they realized she wasn’t warm and had no heartbeat. 

Nolan hadn’t freaked out when a spider crawled up from nowhere and between them on the couch. Polina had snatched it up and scuttled off with it before Ivan could do anything, but his face grew hot anyway. 

“Sorry about that.” 

“It’s cool. That’s like … your thing? Spiders and shit?” 

Ivan chewed on his lip and nodded. “Yeah. Snakes, too.” 

“Huh.” Nolan didn’t say anything else about it right then. It wasn’t until after dinner that he acknowledged it again. 

"The boys said you were weird, but you shouldn't listen to them. They're just being dicks."

Ivan was a little confused, but he smiled anyway. "Thanks. I think."

Nolan nudged him gently with an elbow. "You're cool. We should hang out more."

Ivan was quietly thrilled, but afraid to be hopeful. However, the next time they had an away game, Nolan had plopped down next to him on the bus and offered to share his headphones. Ivan had listened to him mumble about video games and complain about his sisters, a happy glow building in his chest. 

Having Nolan now makes things easier, just like it did back in Brandon. He brushes away spiders without a second glance, argues with refs on Ivan’s behalf when he gets a delay of game for accidentally summoning a snake on the ice, and snarks at the other guys until they only tease Ivan lightly about his mishaps. 

Ivan’s not sure when it shifts. Maybe it’s after Nolan had sat with him while he had a small breakdown after getting dumped for accidentally summoning a spider into his girlfriend’s hair. Maybe it’s Nolan not judging him when he’d brought home another kitten and cried softly when Polina had started to mother it immediately. Maybe it was Nolan checking in with him even when he had his own struggles to deal with and their season came to an abrupt and painful halt. 

They have one more night in Philly before Ivan heads to Russia to spend some time with his family and Nolan flies back to Winnipeg. It’s late, and Travis has gone to sack out in Nolan’s guest bedroom, leaving the two of them on the couch. Somewhere between Nolan talking about his summer plans and Ivan bitching about the amount of rehab his shoulder is going to need, Ivan finds himself staring at Nolan’s mouth. He leans in before he can stop himself, threading the fingers of one hand into Nolan’s hair as he brings their lips together. 

Nolan sighs into the kiss, tilting his head so their mouths fit together just so. He moans softly once, and then startles, pulling back with surprise on his face. Ivan feels like he’s been doused in cold water when he realizes that Nolan’s been startled by a snake. It’s small and black and coiled around his wrist, slowly moving up his arm. Nolan holds it up with a laugh, angling his arm to get a better look. "Do you bite, little guy?"

It flicks its tongue at him and blinks, almost like it understands. Ivan goes to reach for it, an apology on his lips but Nolan holds his hand up. "It’s not venomous, is it?"

"No, I've never - I've never summoned anything venomous."

Tentatively, Nolan reaches out to run a finger over the snakes head and - to Ivan’s surprise - it lets him, closing its eyes. "I think we should keep this one."

He flushes when Ivan asks him why, but his answer makes Ivan's stomach flip. "Because he's a reminder of the first time you kissed me."

Ivan can feel his face heat up, watching Nolan interact with the snake, a shy smile on his face. "I guess you really like me, huh?"

Nolan looks up at him, then, surprise on his face. He takes Ivan's hand and squeezes it gently. "I've always liked you, Ivan." 

Ivan has to look away, offering a small laugh to cover up the way he chokes up, tears welling in his eyes. Sitting here, watching Nolan with the snake, he doesn’t feel weird.


End file.
